Washboard.



c. P. ST. JOHN, DECD. J. A. MILLS, EXEGUTRIX. WASHBOARD. APPLIOATION FILED SBPT.3, 1907.

Patented June 28, 1910.

is @n l H l l! l1 h l @d 5f UNITE STATES FATEN FIC,

ST. JOHN, DECEASED.

ONE-HALF TO ROBERT J. MILLS EXECUTRIX OI SAID CHARLES l.

WASI-IB CARD.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. ST. JOHN, a citizen of the United Stat-es, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vashboards, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description.

My invention relates to washboards to be used in connection with laundry tubs, and its object is to provide a board that is cheap to manufacture and which is so strong and durable in its construction that it will not readily wear out or become broken.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of this character that is rever-sible and can be used on either side for the purpose of rubbing the wash and at the same time is adjustable for different depths and styles of tubs without materially increasing the expense of making the same or adding to the weight of the same.

Still another object is to provide a washboard having its frictional surfaces composed of a plurality of rollers fitted close together and of such construction that the suds, water, etc., will be drained off back of the same.

All of these objects I accomplish by the means hereinafter fully described and as more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure l is a front elevation of a washboard constructed in accordance with the provisions of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vetrical edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on dotted line 3 3, Fig. l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 4 is a fragmental view in section, and drawn to an enlarged scale, showing in detail the manner of journaling the ends of the rollers.

Referring to the drawings, A, A, repre sent respectively the two vertical side-rails of the frame of the washboard, and B, B, are top and bottom rails respectively connecting said side rails, all of which are preferably constructed of wood. The upper portions of thel side rails A, A, are each provided with a shallow longitudinal groove a on their inner faces into which is fitted a suitable rectangular-shaped dividing plate. Below this plate b, and preferably with its upright portion in alinement therewith, is a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application 1ed September 3, 1907.

Patented J une 28, 1910. Serial No. 391,198.

soap-tray of an inverted T-shape in cross section, the ends of the cross-piece of which are extended to form journals c, 0, that lit into bearings cut in the inner faces of the side rails of the frame. This soap-tray C is adapted to be moved in such manner as to project out beyond the plane of one side or the other of the washboard according to the side thereof that is being used, substantially in the manner shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Arranged across the width of the board and in a plane in alinement with each other and perpendicular to the sides of the frame is a plurality of spirally corrugated rollers D. The spirals of these rollers are preferably arranged so that they alternate,-that is, the spiral of every second roller turns in the same direction and the spiral of the intermediate rollers turns in the opposite direction. The ends of these rollers are rounded to form journals Z that operate in bearings e cut into suitable supporting strips E that are secured in any suitable manner to the inner face of the central port-ion of the side rails A, A. These rollers are preferably placed close enough together so that there is but a very slight space between them thereby preventing the articles being washed from being caught between the same and at the same time compelling the suds and water to drain therefrom through the spaces between the threads of the corrugations on the rollers. I prefer t0 cut a slight recess c under the end edge of this strip E so that the same can rest upon the lower cross rail B which thus assists in supporting said strip and relieving the strain upon the other fastening means used in attaching the strips to the framework of the washboard.

The means for lengthening and adjusting the relative position of the washboard consists preferably of reversible feet G, G, mounted on the ends of a rod F that eX- tends across the width of the board and out through openings made in the lower ends of side rails A. These feet are preferably secured to said rod at a point about twothirds of their length so that one reach thereof will be about twice as long as the other. Suitable shallow recesses g, g, are formed in the inner surface of these feet at points equidistant from the rod F, and eX- tending to the edge of the foot. In order to limit the movement of the feet the ends f erably in of the lower rail B of the frame are extended through the side rails A, A, as shown, p refalinement with the are described by said recesses, and this extension is adapted to engage one or the other of the said recesses as the case may be when the feet are reversed. To further assist in limiting the lmovementy of vthese auxiliary ylegs usuitable y the -other will contact with the lower rail B at the same time the extensions are seated in the ,recesses g of the feet.

What' claim as new is- 1. A washboard comprising a frame consisting kof side-rails and top and bottom Irails connecting the same, the latter having extensions that pass through said sidefrails, a rod passing through said frame below the bottom rail, and reversible legs secured on extended .ends of saidv rodoand having recesses in the edges thereof that are adapted to seat the extensions of the bottom rail when `said legs are reversed.

2. A washboard comprising a frame consisting of side-rails and top Yand bottom rails connecting the same, the latter having extensions that pass through said side-rails va-rodpassing through said frame below the :bottom rail, reversible legs secured on extended ends of said rod and having recesses in the edges thereof that are adapted to seat the extensions of the bottom railwhen said legs are reversed, and substantially `T- shap'ed stops mounted onsaid rod between the sides of the frame and engagingthe bottom rail.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto vset my hand and seal, this 29th dayof August, A. D., 1907.

CHARLES P. ST. JOHN. [14.5.]

Witnesses:

E. K.' LUNDY, FRANK D. THoMAsoN, 

